Presently, virtual clothing selection is implemented using various methods. Some of the methods are described in the following prior art documents.
CA2518017 C discloses scanning a body using a graphically segmented elastic covering and a video camera placed at a fixed distance and passing along a fixed orbit around the static body. CA2518017 C was published on 3 Jan. 2012, to Dirk Rutschmann. This prior art approach has the following disadvantages: the body has to be kept static during scanning; the virtual model of the body obtained by scanning is static; using complex specialized hardware; using non-standardized auxiliary devices; and only one body can be scanned at a time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,718 A1 discloses modeling a three-dimensional body shape using a computational method after capturing an image from a predetermined distance with a specialized infrared-sensitive camera to Ziquan Hong et al., and initially assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha. This prior art approach has the following disadvantages: computational complexity; high error margins in measurement results associated with the computational method; using expensive specialized measuring hardware; and specific studio conditions are required to carry out the imaging procedure.
WO 2012/129252 discloses three-dimensional modeling of a body shape by combining and projecting the shape based on two-dimensional projections obtained by capturing photographic images of a subject (to Paul James Kane et al., and assigned to Eastman Kodak Company. This prior art approach has the following disadvantages: large amounts of data subsequently requiring compression; limited result generation speed due to computational complexity; necessary software requires excessive computer processing power and large data transmission bandwidth; a specialized video camera is required for imaging; specific studio conditions are required to carry out the imaging procedure; and simultaneous scanning is limited to two bodies.
RU 2504009 entitled “METHOD FOR PROVIDING REMOTE FITTING AND/OR SELECTION OF CLOTHING” discloses a method of facilitating remote fitting and/or selection of clothes, the method including: (a) setting up and maintaining at least one web-site based on at least one web-server; (b) creating, based on computer data storage media connected to the said web-server through the Internet, at least one database of three-dimensional models of clothing items, the creating comprising the steps of: forming a library of three-dimensional templates of clothes changeable depending on size and/or type of material, forming a library of three-dimensional templates of human bodies for both genders and constitution types, with the use of a photo panel made of flexible material, provided with a graphic marking, and a photographic camera, obtaining at least two photographs of different sides of one clothing item, mainly its front side and back side, selecting on the photograph contours of a clothing item as well as type, shape and geometric dimensions of component parts of the clothing item, finding in a database of clothing items or building a similar three-dimensional model of a clothing item using said template of the clothing item and the photographs of the clothing item taken, and providing the obtained three-dimensional model of the clothing item with the data necessary for its fitting and characterizing at least one of its type, size, color and brand name; (c) facilitating interaction of a consumer with the web-server through the web-site for fitting and/or selection of clothes, the facilitating comprising: receiving an input of data on a customer's body dimensions chosen from dimensions which include, at least: height, chest circumference, waist line circumference, hip circumference, hip height, leg length, arm length, underbust circumference, shoulder circumference, shoulder length, neck circumference, shoulder breadth, length of back till waist line, breast center, length of the front till waist line, breast height, back breadth, calf circumference, building a three-dimensional model of the body of the consumer with the use of a predetermined three-dimensional template of a human body, corresponding to the input data, receiving input of data on the clothing items required by the customer, determining availability of the three-dimensional models of the clothing items corresponding to the obtained customer's body three-dimensional model, and selecting at least one clothing item, corresponding to the obtained three-dimensional model of the customer's body if at least one required three-dimensional model of the clothing item is available.
One disadvantage of the prior art approach is that the shape of the three-dimensional mannequin model differs from the body shape of a real human, and therefore mere knowledge of linear dimensions of the human body does not provide for the ideal fit of clothing on the human figure.
The method lists organizational arrangements required to provide cooperation between clothing manufacturers and retail networks; however, the method lacks measurement technology providing good fit of clothing for an individual three-dimensional figure. The method also does not allow the consumer to see a realistic three-dimensional image of clothing on his/her body.